Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a storage medium.
Description of the Related Art
Mixed reality (MR) techniques and virtual space (virtual reality (VR)) techniques using a head mounted display (HMD) have heretofore been studied. A system using an MR technique or VR technique needs to execute a single task as well as have flexibility to switch a plurality of tasks. Switching of tasks involves switching of target applications. If the target applications need to be switched through operation of an input device such as a keyboard, it is difficult for a person experiencing an MR technique or VR technique to accurately operate the input device while wearing the HMD. The person thus has to dismount and re-mount the HMD when switching applications. However, dismounting and re-mounting the HMD while experiencing an MR system or VR system impairs the sense of immersion and lowers the efficiency of task execution.
Studies have recently been conducted on methods for switching target applications without a need for a user's instruction operation on an input device, whereby the user experiencing an MR system or VR system can switch the target applications while wearing the HMD. Examples of such methods include a method based on a virtual input system using a gesture recognition technique and a method based on an object recognition input system using a shape recognition technique such as a pattern matching technique. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-217834 discusses a technique for recognizing a pattern of a two-dimensional code from a captured image of the two-dimensional code, and starting processing corresponding to the recognized pattern.
According to the technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-217834, if a two-dimensional code is accidentally captured in an image, applications are automatically switched based on the misrecognition that the user desires to switch tasks. In other words, there may arise an issue that applications can be switched at timing not intended by the user, and an issue that an application may fail to be appropriately switched to one desired by the user.